The following description relates to data processing, for example, systems and techniques for improving workflow by processing data.
Portal computing systems combine disparate resources into an integrated interface. Users interact with the resources via user interface elements on portal pages, which may be embodied in web browser windows. Portal systems allow a user to view and interact with information and tools from a wide variety of sources such as word processing programs, spreadsheet programs, databases, and other sources.
Portal computing systems can improve workflow by allowing workers to more easily access resources and information needed to perform their jobs. For example, role-based portal systems strive to improve workflow by providing user interfaces that allow a worker with a particular job role to access data and resources usually associated with the particular job role. A role-based portal system may provide a number of pre-defined roles, where the included resources and information represent the developer's “best guess” of the resources needed to perform each particular job role. For example, in a role-based portal system, an executive role may include resources that enable the user to access company-wide strategic information such as competitive analyses and profitability forecasts. A manager role may include resources for project management and/or people management. A developer role may include software development tools.
However, role-based portal systems may not accurately reflect the particular work goals of particular users. For example, two different managers may have different responsibilities associated with particular work goals, and so need to access a different set of resources and information. A single pre-defined role cannot typically meet the needs of both managers: it would tend either to lack some useful resources, or to include extraneous resources.
The ability of a role-based system to accurately reflect users' work goals may be improved by adding more granularity in the type of roles represented. For example, rather than having a single “manager” role, a role-based system may include a product manager role, a sales manager role, an engineering manager role, and so on.